The witnessing consciousness is always at rest, it is never engaged in anything. That is why the best of the best deeds performed by anyone or the worst of the worst actions do not affect the witness. It always remains untouched, unperturbed and pure.

Why are people so corrupt, why do they rob others? Because belongingness and intimacy has been lost and wherever belongingness or intimacy is absent, corruption grows. That is why it is necessary to cultivate a sense of intimacy. Unless the soul is at peace, corruption and misconduct will continue to thrive in society. Meditation and satsang satisfy the hunger of the soul.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We do 100%, either we take everything off or keep everything. But it is no sign to get beard or long hair to get enlightened. Anyone can get enlightened, anyone can meditate. Outer appearance is immaterial. This is just a uniform.

Q: I am very restless or I am very sleepy. How do I get a better balance for meditation?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Again these experiences are so common for a beginner. If you are just beginning to meditate, restlessness comes up or you feel very sleepy. When stresses get released from your system, such a passage may be common. Farry will tell you more on this. When it comes from a scientist mouth, it has more flavors to it. He is doing a lot of research in Oslo University on Sudarshan Kriya. They found how the chromosomes of your body change! He just told me some very exciting news. So when stress release happens, the chemical or structural form in which stress was stored gets released, you get all these experiences. Your endocrine system readjusts itself, because we have violated our body in so many ways so many times. We have not kept the balance; we have not honored our own body, so jerks may happen. How many of you have found some jerks?

Emotions may come up and you feel completely confused. All this may happen. It's not that it should happen. Sometimes it doesn't happen and you say am I not releasing any stress? That person is getting stress released and I am so quiet. Don't compare your experience with anybody whatsoever. We all are so different. Everybody's nervous system is so different. And at different times, different experiences come to different people.

So at any time we should never compare our experiences with others and feel sorry or happy about it.

Q. Why do so many religions face east when praying? Is it good to face east when meditating?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Different reasons exist. The sun rises in the east. So, in the morning, you meditate facing east. But in the evening, you face west because the sun sets in the west. Energy flows from where the sun is. So, when you face the sun, you are balanced. For prayer and meditation, you need balance - balance of mind, posture… See, it does not matter which direction you face when you meditate, as long as you are facing a direction and meditating.